Packed swivel joint



March-2, 1943. E K1N@ PACKEJ SWIVEL JOINT Filed Manch 4, 1939 ALTE/P E. /f//ve` ff? @15m Wam ) www? atente UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE PACKED SWIVEL .roiu'r` Walter E.'King, Houston, Tex. Application March 4, 1932, serial No. 259,145

1 claims. (ci. 28s-97.8)

This invention relates to swivel joints and more particularly to swivel joints between sections of fluid carrying conduits and the provision of means for lforming an adequate seal between such sections at the joint.

A general object of the invention is to provide ali-improved packed swivel connection between sections of a Huid carrying conduit.

Another object is to provide a swivel connection which may be readily assembled and which is so constructed that the sections thereof are held in -xed axial relation.

Another object is to provide a swivel joint in which sealing means may be readily removedfand replaced without dismantling. y' Stiil another object is to provide' a novel sealing assembly for insertion between sections comprisingthe swivel joint to provide a fluid seal therebetween.

With the foregoing objects as primary objects the invention has particular reference to the novel construction exemplified by the following description in connection with the drawing in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view thru a construction 4v.miiiustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 3

illustrating the relation of parts of the sealing iausSexnbly. g Fig. 3 is a' sectional view of a thru type swivel connection embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 is an end view oi the construction shown in Fig. 3. v

The invention as illustrated in Fig. l comprises male conduit members I which fit within counterbored enlargements 2 in the ends of the female conduit member 3 whereby there is provided out-I wardly facingshoulders l. The ends of the member) are provided with ears 5 having threaded openings so that .members I may be secured' in place by means of cap screws 6 in a manner that will be made more fully apparent.

Each of the conduit members I is provided with spaced peripheral grooves Il and tI which serve as raceways for series of ball bearings I2 and I3. These ball bearings are respectively surrounded by angular raceways Il and I5 of which 'the former are provided with ears I6 which are complementary to the ears 5 on the member 3. The outer surface of the raceway I5 is provided with a shoulder I1 to engage a complementary shoulder within the enlarged bore 2.

A swivel connection is effected by means of the construction just described by rst assembling the series of balls I2 and I3 within the grooves I l and Il and then sliding the raceways Il and I5 into position to hold these balls in place. This assembly is then inserted into the bore 2 until the shoulder I1 engages the complementary shoulder within the enlargement 2. Cap screws 8 are then tightened to form a rigid yet rotatable connection between the members I and 3. It is here noted that this construction definitely fixes the relative axial position of these members with the end 20 of the male member I in spaced relation with the bottom or shoulder 4 within the female member 2 whereby there is formed an annular groove which is generally designated as 2|.

The sealing assembly 25 comprises a plate member 26 of such dimensions and configuration as to be insertable into the slot 22 and groove 2| and closelyfit the walls thereof. This plate is provided with an opening 21 to receive a seal ring 28 having an inner diameter which is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the bore 30 thru the conduit members I and 3. The inner face ofthe seal ring 28 is provided with outwardly flaring lips 3l so that fluid pressure exerted thereon will cause the lips to move outwardly into sealing engagement with the walls of the groove 2 I.

An inner metal ring 35 is positioned within the seal ring 23. The outersurface of this ring is substantially complementary to the inner surface of the seal ring 23. The inner surface of this ring is cylindrical and .is of the same diameter as the bore 30 thru the conduit members I and 3. In this manner a uniform bore is maintained and losses thru throttling or eddies in the fluid are eliminated.

After the sealing assembly 25 has been placedy within the slot 22 and the groove 2i. it is secured in place by means of screws 36 threaded within boss 31 on the conduit member 3 and having end portions 38 which enter the openings 39 in the plate 26. In a later reference to Fig. 4 it will be noted that but two screws 38am utilized, a third opening 4I) being provided in the plate 216 to facilitate removal of the assembly when the screws 3B are withdrawn.

Attentionis here directed to the fact that the lslot 22 is provided with bevel edges at 23 ,so

ment the inner face of the enlargement 2' is4 also provided with spaced annular grooves di and 42 .to form, with the grooves l0 and .|i, raceways for balls I2' and I3'. Circumferentially spaced openings 42 are provided to enable vthe insertion of the balls I2' and 13 into the respective vraceways. After the balls are in position these openings are closed by means of caps 43 to complete the swivel assembly.

This embodiment clearly shows the provision of an elevated surfacev 45 closely adjacentl the opening 40 in the plate 26 whereby it is possible to insert a rod-like tool into the opening 40 and use such surface as a fulcrum so that the initial movement for removal of the assembly 25 may be effected after the screws 36 have been released. V

Itis-to be understood4 that the members i of Fig. 1 and the members I or 3' of Fig. 3 may be of any desired length altho such membersare shown provided with threads 46 whereby rigid conduits or hose may be connected thereto. .It is also to be understood that while specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described the invention is not confined to such embodiments nor to the specific use of the disclosed constructions since the invention broadly l comprehends the provision of an improved swivel connection between sections of iluid carrying conduits which is so constructed that an emcient joint is provided and a joint in which it is possible to insert a sealing assembly without disturbing the swivel connection.

What is claimed is:

1. A swivel pipe or hose joint comprising a female conduit section having an enlargement in the vend of the bore forming a shoulder therein,

a male conduit section extending into said enlargement, bearing means between the male conduit section and the inner walls of said enlargement to swivelly connect said sections with the4 end of the male section and said shoulder in spaced parallel relation, a slot through the wall of the female member to form a passage to the groove defined by the bottom of the enlargement and the end of the male conduit section, and

` a seal assembly insertable into said slot groove to form a seal between the sections about the bore therethrough.

2N A swivel joint comprising a female conduitA section having an enlargement in the end of the bore forming a shoulder therein, a male conduit section extending into said enlargement, bearing means between the male conduit 'section and -the inner walls of said enlargement to swivelly connect said sections with the end of the male section and said shoulder -in Aspaced parallel relation, a slot through the wall of the female member to form 'a passage to the groove defined by the bottom of the enlargement andthe end oi the male conduit section, a seal assembly insertable into said slot groove to form a seal between the sections about the bore therethrough, and means for securing the seal assembly within said slot and groove.

3. A swivel joint comprising male and female conduit members having a groove therebetween about a common bore, means swivellyintercon- I nectlng said members, a slot through the wall of the female conduit in the plane of said groove, and seal means insertable through said slot into the groove to form a seal between said members.

-4. -A seal assembly adapted to form a seal within a sealing chamber 'between swivelly connected conduit members comprising, a plate having an opening therein, a seal ring of yieldable material fitting within said opening, and an inner rigid ring oating within said seal ring to provide a uniform bore through the conduit members and assembly. l

5. A swivel joint comprising two conduit members, a bell extension on one conduit member projecting over Athe end of the other conduit member, bearingmeans between the said extension andthe interprojecting conduit member for swivelling movement of the members, said bearing means holding the ends of the conduit members in spaced relation, an opening in the extension radially opposite the space between the conduit ends, a packing between the conduit ends, and a means slidable through the said opening vfor positioning the packing between the conduit ends.

6. In a swivel joint for piping and the like, a

` female member,` a male member to venter said female member, means to provide a radially open packing chamber between said members, a packing material carrier means insertable into said packing chamber through the radially open portion thereof, releasable means to lsecurethe inserted carrier means against displacement, coupling means having a detachable engagement with said female member and a frotatable relation to said male member, and means to prevent relative axial movement between said coupling means and said male member, said latter means including anti-friction bearing means.

7. A swivel joint including a male and a female `member, said members having a iiuid conduit therethrough, the female member having an.

enlarged bore at one end, said bore being adaptedto receive one end of the vmale member for a disftance, means interposed between the periphery WALTER E. KING. 

